Chapter 69 - 68: A 600 Jin, Tier Ten Mutated Black-Maned White-Toothed Beast Invades

Jiang Cai’Er’s two songs were excellent—ethereal and melodious, yet also playful and cute. Li Xiang decided he would use these tracks as the background music for his future videos. He was sure the effect would be fantastic.

The snow started falling heavily again, blanketing everything in another thick layer overnight. The next morning, bright and early, Li Xiang finished shoveling his own property and then went to help the other villagers.

Third Granny’s house had completely collapsed, and there was nothing that could be done about it for the time being.

The scale of this snowstorm exceeded everyone’s expectations. Weather forecasts and experts began warning that the severe weather might persist for a considerable time, urging everyone to prepare for a long haul.

At first, many people were thrilled. They had snowball fights and built snowmen, having the time of their lives. Heavy snow like this was rare in the south, so it was a precious opportunity to enjoy it right on their doorsteps without having to travel.

But as time wore on, a sense of unease began to set in.

Even in the big cities, prices skyrocketed. Cabbage jumped to over ten yuan a pound, and pork shot up to fifty.

The fans who had listened to Li Xiang and stocked up on supplies felt incredibly fortunate, and their admiration for him deepened. Meanwhile, those who hadn’t taken his advice were filled with bitter regret.

As for transportation, don’t even get me started. Highways were closed, flights were grounded, and many intercity and local buses had long since suspended service. The power grid was under immense strain, as everyone turned on their AC units for heat to combat the cold.

Many people once again envied those in the north, where having central heating was a huge advantage.

To everyone’s astonishment, the snowstorm’s reach was incredibly vast. Aside from a few areas that only saw light flurries, almost the entire globe was hit. Even Singapore, a country near the equator, was experiencing heavy snowfall!

To keep the roads clear, snow was shoveled to the sides. A local posted a photo showing snowdrifts piled as high as the wall of a nearby Indian temple!

The steps leading up to the Merlion were buried under such thick snow that they were completely invisible. The sea itself had frozen over, and even the waves were frozen solid in place.

Someone joked, "Looks like the penguins’ wish to vacation in the tropics finally came true!"

"Heavy snow in Singapore of all places... My god, it’s unimaginable!"

The snowfall shattered Singapore’s typical climate patterns, forcing people to see the tropical nation’s weather in a new light.

Some speculated: was a new mini ice age on its way?

Someone said, "Weren’t we just worried about excessive carbon emissions and global warming? How did it suddenly get this cold?"

Others remained optimistic. "This is a good thing! The ice caps at the North and South Poles were starting to melt, and now they’re freezing solid again."

A resident from the north scoffed, "A bunch of people who’ve never seen the world. It’s just one heavy snowfall. For us up north, this used to be considered a light dusting, nothing worth mentioning."

"We people from the Northeast just hibernate through the winter. We have enough pre-made dumplings to last us for weeks."

In truth, while the snowfall was heavy, the northern provinces were largely unaffected. They were well-prepared for the cold every year, with abundant heating and supplies. In contrast, some southern provinces were completely unprepared. Coupled with their total lack of experience, they couldn’t even manage the highways. Everything descended into chaos.

An official from one province said, "This isn’t our fault; it’s an act of God. This is an unprecedented blizzard, and there’s freezing rain, too."

"Emergency response? Do we need one? We’ve always just waited for the ice and snow to melt on its own. The temperature usually rises after a few days and takes care of it. It’s the same every year. What’s the point of shoveling? Besides, we can’t even if we wanted to. There’s too much, and it’s frozen solid. We aren’t equipped with high-powered snowplows and removal gear."

"Everyone should just tough it out. The ice and snow will melt on their own in a few days. Trying to deal with it now would just be a waste of manpower and resources, wouldn’t it?"

"But the forecast says this is going to last for a long time!"

That shut the provincial emergency response office right up.

But there was truly nothing they could do. It was too late to place an emergency order for high-powered snowplows. Everywhere was trying to buy them; not only was existing stock completely sold out, but new orders were backlogged for more than a month.

While the snowstorm was a disaster for most, some factories benefited handsomely, making a fortune. For those who profited, the heavier the snow and the longer it lasted, the better!

Thinking back on it, Li Xiang’s fans admired him more than ever. ’He’s someone we can trust,’ they thought. ’Next time he sells something, I’ll be sure to buy more.’

Some people even went to Li Xiang’s videos specifically to leave him tips for his advice.

He Zhixiang and his top-ranked female fan both left large tips again.

The top-ranked female fan was as aloof as ever. In the fan chat group, she completely ignored anyone who tried to talk to her. Her profile picture was also quite aggressive: it was a photo of a heavyset, coarse-looking woman. Some people guessed this must be a picture of her. ’She’s so ugly!’

This, in turn, made some of the other female fans jealous. ’Why does an ugly old woman like that have so much money? There’s no justice in the world!’

Li Xiang, however, was perfectly at ease, brewing tea by the stove in his home.

’The Apocalypse is coming, sure, but that’s still more than nine years away, isn’t it?’

It would be an unavoidable, unstoppable cataclysm—the kind where the sky literally falls. Even with his system, Li Xiang could only guarantee a slightly better life for himself. He couldn’t turn the tide or save the Earth. Besides, as someone who had already lived through it once, his mindset was much calmer after his rebirth.

’The main thing is, you can’t rush something like this. Even if I’m a nervous, anxious wreck all day, struggling and working myself to death, unable to eat or sleep properly... the Apocalypse will still arrive on schedule, and the situation won’t be any better for it.’

’I don’t have any grand ambitions. I’ll warn the country when the time is right, build a Shelter for myself, and protect a few tens of thousands of people. I’ll be more than satisfied with that. I really can’t handle anything bigger.’